Unvaccinated Children, Elderly at Higher Flu Risk, Hong Kong Health Chief Warns
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Director of Health Ronald Lam Man-kin has sounded a clear alarm on influenza risks for unvaccinated groups. Addressing a radio programme on Saturday, Lam revealed that unvaccinated children face five times higher odds of serious complications or mortality from flu, while unvaccinated elderly aged 65 or above face four times the risk of their jabbed counterparts. The warning arrives as Hong Kong's flu season intensifies, with hospitalisation rates soaring far above last year's levels. The government is responding by launching its seasonal influenza vaccination programmes next Thursday, one week ahead of schedule.
Key Points
- Unvaccinated children face five times higher risk of serious complications or death from flu than vaccinated peers, while unvaccinated elderly face four times the risk
- Hong Kong's flu hospitalisation rate stands at 0.83 per 10,000 people, more than triple the 0.27 recorded during the same period last year
- Laboratory samples show 13 percent flu-positive rate, up from 12 percent the previous year, with influenza A accounting for 80 percent of cases
- This year has seen 19 severe child flu cases including one death, with eight cases involving unvaccinated children aged 5 or younger
- The government's seasonal flu vaccination programmes commence next Thursday, one week earlier than the previous year, under the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme
Why It Matters
The stark risk differential underscores the critical importance of vaccination for Hong Kong's most vulnerable residents as the flu season shows no signs of abating. With hospitalisation rates already triple last year's figure and vaccination programmes beginning early, health authorities are racing to build community immunity before the peak winter flu period arrives.
The stark risk differential underscores the critical importance of vaccination for Hong Kong's most vulnerable residents as the flu season shows no signs of abating. With hospitalisation rates already triple last year's figure and vaccination programmes beginning early, health authorities are racing to build community immunity before the peak winter flu period arrives.